Almost 20 years ago, a husband and wife missionary team serving in Mexico made the rounds of their sponsor churches in Texas. They reported on their work. They took up an offering. And, before leaving one church, the husband took a child’s innocence.

Alyssa Morgan was about 10 years old then. She didn’t tell a soul.

Christians intuitively understand churches should be safe places, particularly for children and women, who seem most susceptible to sexual predation in a fallen world. But, paradoxically, because Christians believe that should be the reality, they act as if it is and then fail to act on behalf of the vulnerable or advocate for the wounded. That was the contention of experts and lay leaders during an Oct. 12 Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission panel discussion on sexual assault and the church.

In the wake of very public, high-profile accusations of sexual assault, sexual harassment or rape, Christian women with similar stories have found their voice, told their stories and hold onto hope that the church will redeem the situation.

“There are more women who have experienced this—and men, and children—then you would even imagine. So we need to take away the shock, remember we live in a terribly broken world and be prepared to hear these hard stories,” said Trillia Newbell, ERLC director of community outreach, during the panel discussion on sexual abuse and assault at the ERLC national conference Oct. 11-13 in Grapevine.

While the event’s theme, “The Cross-Shaped Family,” dominated discussions, the topic of sexual violence and how it impacts the family and church flowed naturally from those conversations. Newbell’s fellow panelists included author Jen Wilkin and the co-founders of Ministry Safe, Kimberlee Norris and her husband George Love. The company equips churches with safeguards for preventing child sexual abuse.

Citing a Lifeway study, Baptist Press reported Sept. 18, “One in eight Protestant senior pastors say a church staff member has sexually harassed a member of the congregation at some point in the church’s history. One in six pastors say a staff member has been harassed in a church setting. Two-thirds of pastors say domestic or sexual violence occurs in the lives of people in their congregation.”

If only two-thirds of senior pastors believe child sexual abuse is an issue in their congregations, “they are seriously misled,” Norris said. She believes child sexual abuse has left no church unscathed.

Stories like Morgan’s are ubiquitous.

Three years after the assault, Morgan confided in a friend. That friend’s mom discovered the secret and told Morgan’s parents, who reported it to their church. Support for the missionaries ended as rumors of another assault surfaced, Morgan told the TEXAN.

The adults never contacted the authorities but the perpetrator’s wife pressured him to call Morgan and apologize—a moment then-15-year-old Morgan found “really hard.”

Sexual assault, harassment and rape are not only sins, they are crimes. Reporting laws vary by state but Texas requires every adult to report suspected child abuse. Yet too many churches try to handle abuse and harassment in-house, believing “a Bible and the Holy Spirit is what they need” to rectify the situation, Wilkins said.

“I don’t mean to diminish the importance of the Bible and the Holy Spirit,” she said. “But just by virtue of being ordained in ministry doesn’t mean that you know how to handle every situation.”

Pastors should be prepared to direct people to professionals who can help. Often those resources are sitting in the pews.

Morgan and her co-workers Kimberly Fisk and Jessica Russo at Embrace Grace often hear stories of abuse from the women with unplanned pregnancies they are helping. The international ministry connects women to churches trained to give the emotional, physical and spiritual support the women need.

Redeeming the #MeToo moment must come from the church, Julie and James Turner told the TEXAN. The Grapevine residents are members at MacArthur Boulevard Baptist Church in Irving.

Julie Turner empathizes with the cultural anger of the moment. Sexual harassment forced her to leave a previous job she had enjoyed. But repercussions from unresolved cultural anger concerns her and her husband, James, as they raise their 3-year-old son and 18-month-old daughter.

How do they raise godly children in such an environment? Could their son lose a job at the mere accusation of sexual impropriety? Will society tell their daughter that all men are sexual predators and she is a victim?

Resolving conflicting narratives is essential to redeeming the process, the Turners said. Some Christians too easily dismiss the #MeToo movement as a “feminist” crusade capitalizing on “unbiblical” attitudes toward men.

“It’s [become] man versus woman and that can’t be,” she said.

Christian men shocked by the extent of the problem have had enough time to process it and must partner with women in finding solutions, James said. Having women in visible, respected leadership roles within the church, with the exception of pastor, is paramount, according to conference participants who spoke with the TEXAN and the panelists.

Morgan’s story exemplifies how victims of sexual assault say they want to be treated, especially in the church. Morgan’s parents wept with her after discovering the secret their teenage daughter had buried for years. Wanting to respect her privacy, the family told only a select few of the small church’s leadership.

In a perfect scenario the assault would have been reported to the police. But Morgan’s knowing that her parents believed her and hurt for her mattered.

“It definitely makes me feel ‘backed.’ Like there are people on my team,” she said. “I think even when it was revealed, when I was 15 or 16 years old, that I had peace in my heart that the Lord had my back. I did not have to worry about justice; I could trust Him with that.”

Editors note: Bonnie Pritchett randomly selected five people to discuss how the church must address sexual assault in the wake of the #MeToo movement. Of those five, one had been molested as a child at church, one had been sexually harassed at work, two others knew women who had been abused.

James Wood is a hard-nosed Philadelphia detective who only wants the truth, even if that makes everyone around him uncomfortable.

That dogged determination comes in handy when he learns of an abortion clinic whose doctor is selling prescription drugs illegally and whose medical negligence allegedly led to the death of a 41-year-old woman.

Wood wants to raid the clinic, but others aren’t so sure.

“I thought you were pro-choice,” a co-worker tells him and another woman.

“What does that have to do with anything?” Wood retorts.

Wood finally gets a search warrant, and what he uncovers is shocking. The clinic’s floors are covered in cat feces. The smell of urine fills the air. Medical waste is everywhere. And jars with baby’s feet line the shelves.

Then Wood discovers something even more horrific: The abortion doctor has been delivering babies and cutting their spinal columns, all under the guise of it being an abortion. Many of them, delivered after 24 weeks, would have survived at a hospital.

The doctor’s name is Kermit Gosnell, an otherwise well-respected man who has so many friends in the medical industry that many people believe he will win. But Wood and the assistant district attorney won’t give up.

The movie Gosnell: The Trial of America’s Biggest Serial Killer (PG-13) opens this weekend, telling the story of the arrest, trial and conviction of a man who prided himself on performing illegal late-term abortions for poor women. It stars Earl Billings (Antwone Fisher) as Gosnell, Dean Cain (Lois & Clark) as Wood, and Sarah Jane Morris (The Night Shift) as assistant district attorney Alexis “Lexy” McGuire.

The movie follows a group of heroic, pro-choice prosecutors who went after an abortion doctor in a city where abortion rights are sacrosanct. 

“You are prosecuting an abortion doctor for murder,” the district attorney tells Wood and McGuire. “You know how it will play in the media.”

Despite what you might think, Gosnell isn’t a gory film. It opens with the investigation and then quickly transitions to his arrest and trial. We never witness an abortion.

Earl Billings is chillingly impressive as Gosnell. Additionally, the storyline is entertaining and eye-opening, as it shines the light on an industry that has enjoyed secrecy for decades. We learn about Gosnell’s practices and those within legal abortion clinics. Legally, there is a difference between the two. Morally, there is none. (More on that below.)

It is a film worth supporting, but you better do so this weekend. In Hollywood, opening weekend determines a film’s long-term success. If you don’t watch it this weekend, then it may not be in your theater next weekend.

Warning: minor/moderate spoilers!

(Scale key: none, minimal, moderate, extreme)

Violence/Disturbing

Moderate. We see a clothed woman on an operating table, but we don’t see the abortion. We see small feet in jars, and later, the tops of fetus heads. We hear late-term abortion procedures described in detail. We learn that some of the babies were squirming before Gosnell killed them.   

Sexuality/Sensuality/Nudity

None.

Coarse Language

Minimal. About nine coarse words: S—t (5), d—n (1), h—l (1), b—-rd (1), a—(1)

Life Lessons

We live in a divided culture where seemingly everything is viewed through a political prism. But in Gosnell, we watch as pro-choice prosecutors bring a case simply because it’s the right thing to do. They chase the facts. Toward the end of the movie, a blogger summed up her view of the case by saying, “If the truth doesn’t match what I believe, it’s still the truth.” If only everyone today believed that.      

Worldview

“This is not a case about abortion,” the district attorney tells his assistant and the detective. His demand: If you want to bring the case, then make it about infanticide and murder – not abortion.

In one sense, he’s right. Kermit Gosnell’s “abortions” were not abortions in the legal sense. Abortion, after all, takes place inside the womb.

But, morally, there is no difference between what Gosnell did and what doctors who perform late-term abortion do every week in America. They don’t snip necks. Instead, they use dilation and evacuation (D&E), in which the doctor stops the baby’s heart by injecting potassium chloride. The doctor then begins ripping the baby apart inside the womb, limb by limb – an arm, a leg, the torso, and so forth. Additionally, the doctor often suctions out the brain before pulling out the head. We hear this procedure described by a female doctor on the witness stand.

Kermit Gosnell’s practice was illegal. D&E, though, remains legal in America. It’s a distinction with a difference of about six inches. Morally, there is no difference.

Discussion Questions

1. What did you learn about abortion? Did it change your perspective?

2. Do you see a moral difference between the procedure that Gosnell practiced and the procedure the female doctor on the witness stand described?

3. How did Gosnell escape government scrutiny for so long?

4. Why do you think Gosnell’s assistants never reported him?  

Entertainment rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars. Family-friendly rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic content including disturbing images and descriptions.

Neil Armstrong is mere hours from going on a mission to the moon, but he has some unfinished business to do. He has to have an honest conversation with his two young sons. His wife, Janet, demanded it.

The boys know about his destination. They don’t, though, know how long he will be gone – or that he might die in the process.

“So you won’t be here for my swim meet?” his youngest son asks.

The oldest one – a little wiser – addresses the elephant in the room.

“Do you think you’re coming back?”   

Armstrong expresses confidence, but the older boy isn’t buying it. He knows this might be the last he ever sees his dad.

First Man (PG-13) opens this weekend, giving us a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the quiet and private man who in 1969 became the first person to step foot on the moon. It stars Ryan Gosling (La La Land) as Armstrong, Claire Foy (The Crown) as Janet, and Jason Clarke (Chappaquiddick) as Armstrong’s friend, astronaut Ed White.

The film is largely a biopic about Armstrong, who is one of the most famous people in history but who shunned the spotlight even as his rocket mate Buzz Aldrin – the second person on the moon – flourished in it.

The movie opens in 1961 with Armstrong working as a test pilot and flying an X-15 to the edge of outer space. The story then switches to Armstrong’s home life and his battle to find medical help for his ailing daughter Karen, who has a brain tumor. She dies, forever changing his outlook on life. The already-quiet Armstrong grows even more reserved, refusing to discuss Karen’s death with anyone – even with his wife.

He then applies and gets accepted to the Gemini program in a move that provides him and Janet a fresh start on life. Of course, he eventually is chosen to be commander of Apollo 11.

The movie sparked controversy when it was learned that the planting of the American flag was not part of the film, with the director, Damien Chazelle, saying it would have interrupted the movie’s flow. After watching it, I can see his perspective. The moon scene takes less than 10 minutes in a two-plus hour movie. Armstrong is thinking about his daughter on the moon, having flashbacks of her life. He even leaves a personal memento related to her on the surface. We do see three images of an American flag during the scene, and seconds later – back on Earth – a joyful French woman says: “I always trusted America and I knew they wouldn’t fail.” The controversy was overblown.

Warning: minor/moderate spoilers!

(Scale key: none, minimal, moderate, extreme)

Violence/Disturbing

Minimal/moderate. We see three astronauts, in a capsule for testing, seconds before they die in a fire. (We see fire rush through the capsule and hear their cries for help, but we don’t see their bodies.) Several scenes involving space flight are intense. Armstrong nearly blacks out when his Gemini capsule spins out of control. He nearly crashes in a test lunar lander, too. The film’s opening scene shows him in a plane on the edge of space, not sure if he will survive. 

Sexuality/Sensuality/Nudity

None. Armstrong and his wife dance and share a brief kiss.

Coarse Language

Minimal/moderate. About 15 coarse words: H-ll (4), d—n (4), s—t (2), misuse of JC (2), misuse of “Jesus” (2), f-word (1).

Other Positive Elements

Armstrong is a loving father who enjoys playing with his children, even though he has trouble expressing it. (Not an uncommon trait among men at the time.)

In a scene at a funeral, he defends the deceased pilot when a superior suggests the pilot was to blame for the crash.

Armstrong is a humble man who spreads credit.  

Other Stuff You Might Want To Know

Characters, including Armstrong, drink beer. Several people, including Janet, smoke.

Life Lessons

Not surprisingly, First Man provides us lessons on courage and heroics in the face of possible death. There’s also a subtle lesson on teamwork: How did NASA accomplish everything they did with technology that’s far less advanced than my smartphone? But the biggest lesson in First Man involves the subject of tragedy and the healthiest ways to cope with it. The death of Armstrong’s daughter troubled him greatly, but he never talked about it. He held it inside the rest of his life. I kept wondering: Wouldn’t he have been better off talking to a counselor? A pastor? Even a friend? But he didn’t. Instead, we sneaks off to a room so he can cry, alone. He hid his emotions and his pain. It’s heartbreaking to watch.         

Worldview

Why should we explore space? Armstrong is asked this very question early in the movie, and he does a decent job answering it. Exploring space, he says, “changes your perspective.” Further, he says, “it allows us to see things that maybe should have seen a long time ago” but could not. He never mentions God, but the implication is that we are small compared to the rest of the universe. Space points to a grand plan and an intelligent creator, right?

Space exploration has scientific benefits. It has medical benefits, too. During the Cold War, it had political and even military benefits. But I would argue that one of the reasons we should explore space is theological: to discover and better appreciate God’s handiwork. Psalm 8 begins, “Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens.” Space declares God’s glory, and it does so in ways that God’s creation on Earth does not. That’s because space – that is, the universe – is bigger than anything on Earth. God created a big universe in part to give us a hint of his glory. It’s as if He is saying: See that big universe? I’m even bigger than that!  

What Works

I always have enjoyed space, and, not surprisingly, I enjoyed First Man. The recreated Gemini and Apollo launches are enjoyable. I felt like I was there. The moon scene is a strength, too. Also, First Man does a nice job explaining the Apollo mission to the non-space geek by using an old animated clip from the 1960s.  

What Doesn’t

The ending is a little odd. Also, First Man could have been rated PG by taking out a few words. Sadly, though, Hollywood believes moviegoers won’t support PG films.   

Discussion Questions

1. What is wrong with holding in emotions? Have you ever known anyone like Neil Armstrong?

2. Do you think the money spent on the space program should have spent elsewhere?

3. What did you think about the American flag controversy?

4. Why was Neil Armstrong willing to put his life on the line?

4. Name five risky professions in today’s world.

Entertainment rating: 3 out of 5 stars. Family-friendly rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Rated PG-13 for some thematic content involving peril, and brief strong language.

DALLAS—The Criswell Coffee Shop, located at the center of Criswell College in Dallas, is where students go to enjoy a cup of coffee and share in great conversations that often lead to new friendships, theological discussions and new ministry ideas and opportunities. But, on Friday, Sept. 21, the by-invitation-only group of students, faculty, staff and friends of the college were invited to hear Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma speak on significant matters he faces in office.

A professing Christian, the Republican senator devoted much of his hour to answering questions and sharing his thoughts about policies and platforms he values in both his personal life as well as his political life. 

Lankford reminded the group that “Washington [D.C.] doesn’t change the country; the country changes Washington.”

He offered, “It just takes longer. It seems simpler just to go elect the right people instead of making the changes that need to happen for us as a culture to send people that represent our set of values. Culture changes through the action of families in the church.”

Lankford appealed to the group with a call-to-action. “If you don’t like what Washington does and says, we should engage as a country to reach out to people with a different option for how to treat their neighbor or their own personal self-worth or what it means to serve people around you; what it means to speak to somebody who’s different than you. And, there’s no better positioned group than the church to do that.”

Sen. Lankford directed his focus to Facebook and Twitter and the “incredibly toxic” platform of bitterness that prevails in social media today. He inspired his listeners to be people that drive out hate with love. “The turnaround for driving out hate with love is the gospel where people learn to love through hate and to be able to engage them. So, take on the responsibility. There’s a lot to be able to do in our culture and our community based around that. That’s not politics, but that is our calling.”

Criswell College President Barry Creamer closed the session by calling the group to surround Sen. Lankford in prayer.

For more information on Criswell College go to criswell.edu.